USAF F-35A crashes at Hill AFB

A USAF Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II has crashed at Hill Air Force Base (AFB) Utah.

The crash happened at approximately 18:15local time on Wednesday October 19, the F-35A belonged to the 388th Fighter Wing. The crash happened on the north side of the airfield whilst on approach to the bases runway 14. The jet was on return from a scheduled training mission in the Utah test and training range. The pilot ejected and emergency crews responded immediately.

Medical teams rescued the pilot and they were taken to the local medical centre for observation. The cause of the crash remains unknown and will be investigated.

USAF F-35A Lightning II, with the 34th Fighter Squadron, 388th Fighter Wing, out of Hill Air Force Base, Utah, after being refueled by a KC-10 Extender flown by the 76th Air Refuel Squadron with the 514th Air Mobility Wing, over Texas, USAF/ Staff Sgt. Michael Ki Hong

Local residents reported a large plume of smoke and the crash of the F-35A ignited a large fire that spread across 10 acres in size before being extinguished by Utah fire crews.

Hill AFB was home to 78 F-35As [Now 77] and three F-35A Fighter Squadrons (FS) under the 388th FW, the 4th FS ‘Fightin Fuujins’, 34th FS ‘Rude Rams’ and the 421st FS ‘Black Widows’. It is yet to be confirmed which unit the crashed F-35A belonged to.